Tkeatment of yarns



March 22, 1949. sc 2,464,897

TREATMENT OF YARNS Filed June 1, 1946' um 9 g I.

,INVENTOR.

FRANK F?.SCULL AT TOR N EYS.

Patented Mar. 22, 1949 2,464,897 I TREATMENT or YARNS Frank Rue Scull, Scarsdale, N. E, assignor to Celanese Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application June 1, 1946, Serial No. erases My invention relates to the manufacture of textile yarns, and in particular to yarns having a basis of continuous filaments, but having the appearance of spun yarn, that is yarn made from staple fiber.

In the manufacture of spun yarn from artificial fibers, the usual practice is to cut continuous artificial filaments or waste filaments into comparatively short lengths, for example of 1 to 2 inches or more, and then subject the staple fibers produced to a series of operations appropriate to the length of the fiber,v such operations being Similar to those accorded to natural fibers such as cotton or wool, including opening, carding, drawing and spinning. These operations represent considerable expense in the production of such yarns, since they involve a relatively slow transformation of the initial fibrous material to a finished yarn.

The object of my invention is the provision of a novel device for producing yarn having an appearance similar to that of yarn made from spun fiber while avoiding the necessity for forming continuous filaments into short lengths and spinning the fibers thus produced.

According to the present invention, a continuous filament yarn is subjected to the action of frictional or abrasive means between which and the yarn there is relative movement so as to break the continuity of the filaments in the yarn at frequent intervals, so that on being twisted the resulting yarn resembles spun fibrous yarn.

The breaking of the continuity of the filaments in the yarn is so carried out that at any one point along the length of said yarn only one or relatively few filaments thereof are broken, or

at least some of the filaments remain unbroken, so that the continuity of the yarn as a whole is not interfered with.

The breaking of the individual filaments is carried out in a fairly regularmanner so as to impart a uniform appearance along the length of the yarn, and as well as to avoid undue reduction in the strength of the yarn owing to the breakage of the filaments. In order to obtain a regular breaking action, the yarn is taken up preferably at a constant linear rate. The actual frequency of the breaking of the filaments will depend to some extent upon the rate of relative movement between the cutting means and the filaments. In accordance with this invention, the filamentbreaking means also produces a nub or a curly wool-like effect on the protruding ends. The frictional or abrasive means subjects each filament to a tension,

' 4 Claims. ((31.28-1) on breaking, causes to be produced a nub or curly effect which produces a full-handling yarn of improved covering power, and having more warmth than yarn not so treated.

The process according to the invention may be applied to any type of continuous filament yarn, for example yarn of cellulose acetate or other organic derivatives of cellulose, e. g. other cellulose esters, such as cellulose propionate and butyrate, and cellulose ethers, such as ethyl and benzyl cellulose, yarn of reconstituted cellulose such as viscose, nitrocellulose and cuprammonium artificial silk and natural silk. It may likewise be applied to yarns consisting of a mixture of filaments of two or more of the above types.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying draw-.

ing but it is to be understood that this description is given by way of example only and is in no respect limitative.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my novel device, and

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout both views of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral d indicates a bar adapted to reciprocate within guides 5 by means of a connecting rod 8. One end of connecting rod 6 is journaled on a pin 7 between thefingers of forked end 8. The other end of connecting rod 6 is pivotally mounted on crank 9 fixed to a disc H attached to and rotatable with shaft It. Any suitable means, not shown, may be employed for rotating said shaft i2. Fixed to the upper surface of bar d are a plurality of cylindrical members 2 or 3 inches in height, some of which, such as I3, are smooth while others, such as it, have a rough or abrasive surface. A distance between the cylindrical mem-' bers and the number of smooth and abrasive cylindrical members may be changed at will, depending upon the type of yarn desired as the end product. While the cylindrical members are shown in the drawing as being in a straight line, they may be staggered if desired. The yarn to be treated may be drawn from any suitable supply, such as a cake, bobbin, cone, or any other type of yarn package capable of being readily unwound. The yarn from the supply package, generally indicated by reference numeral l5 and carried on a spindle l6, mounted on a support i1, is removed therefrom through pig-tail guide l1 and interlaced between the cylindrical memthe sudden release of which bers and positively taken up on any suitable takeup means, such as a bobbin ll. Guide pins II and 2| may be employed if desired.

By suitable adjustment of the speed of the reciprocating bar 4, with respect to the rate of travel of the yarn, and depending upon the number of smooth and abrasive cylindrical members with which the yarn comes into contact, heavy or light abrasion or nubbing'may be produced. The abrading cylindrical members tear or break some of the external filaments of the yarn while both the smooth and abrasive cylindrical members act to scufi' or roll the broken filaments into knobs or curls. Optionally, the cylindrical members may be all of one type to do abrading only or the operation may be performed only with the smooth or rough surface cylindrical members to nub yarns or provide curls on yarns which have already been abraded in a separate operation, as by any other method well known in the art.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is merely given by way of illustration and that many variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit desire extensive with the direction of travel of the yarn.

2. Apparatus for converting a yarn into a continuous product containing staple fiber comprising, in combination with take-up means for giving travel to the yarn, abrasive means including a support having thereon a plurality of cylindrical members having an abrasive surface alternating with a plurality of cylindrical members having a smooth surface adapted to be in contact with the yarn during the conversion operation, and means for reciprocating said supduring the conversion operation, means for guiding said support and means for reciprocating said support comprising a rotatable disc, a crank attached thereto and a rod connected to said crank and said support.

4. Apparatus for converting a yarn into a continuous product containing staple fiber comprih ing, in combination with take-up means for giving travel to the yarn, abrasive means including a support having thereon a plurality of cylindrical members having an abrasive surface alternating with a plurality of cylindrical members having a smooth surface adapted to be in contact with the yarn during the conversion operation, means for guiding said support and means for reciprocating said support comprising a rotatable disc, a crank attached thereto and a rod con-e nected to said crank and said support.

FRANK Rim SCULL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 8,301 Kohn June 25, 1878 82,661 Trapp Sept. 29, 1868 2,053,778 Platt Sept. 8, 1936 2,273,752 Frey Feb. 17, 1942 2,278,879 Hunter Apr. 7, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 60,939 Germany Feb. 9, 1892 218,126 Germany Jan. 21, 1910 

